What the committee does
The committee takes part in planning health, safety and environmental work at UiB, and monitors developments in matters affecting staff safety, health and welfare.
In practice, the committee deals with the occupational health service, safety and environmental training, building plans and other plans requiring approval from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, and the health and welfare aspects of working time arrangements. It also handles matters concerning employees with reduced working capacity.
When an accident occurs, or illness arises that may be caused by work, the committee reviews the report, investigates the cause and ensures that the university puts things right. The committee has the right to see documents from the Labour Inspection Authority and the police, and may appoint experts to investigate.
What the committee can decide
The committee is not merely advisory. If it finds it necessary, the committee may decide that the university must carry out specific measures to improve the working environment, and set a deadline for when the measure must be in place. The committee may also require that measurements or investigations be carried out.
If the university disagrees with such a decision, the matter goes to the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, which decides it.
The committee submits an annual report on its work to the University Board and to the employees' organizations.
How a matter reaches the committee
If you have a matter concerning the working environment that you believe the committee should consider, you would normally go through your safety representative or through the trade union you belong to. Both are represented on the committee.
You can also contact the chief safety representative directly, or the committee's secretary in the Division of Human Resources.
If the matter is urgent — an incident, an injury or a risk that must be dealt with now — report it through UiB's incident reporting system rather than to the committee. The committee works on systematic and long-term conditions.
Members of the committee
The committee is a joint committee. This means the employer and the employees have an equal number of representatives with voting rights, and that they take turns chairing it. The occupational health service also attends, with the right to speak and to submit proposals, and the students and the Student Ombud attend as permanent observers.
The employer side
University Director Tore Tungodden (chair), Rector Margareth Hagen, HR Director Kathrine Brosvik Thorsen, Director of Estate and Facilities Management Kjartan Nesset, and Dean Synnøve Kristine Nepstad Bendixsen.
Deputies: Pro-Rector Sigrunn Eliassen, Assistant University Director Kari Fuglseth, Division Director Christen Solheim, Assistant Director Agnethe Erstad Larsen, and Dean Stine Lehmann.
The employee side
Chief Safety Representative June Vibecke Knudtsen Indrevik, Senior Adviser Jan Georg Tangenes (Akademikerne), Associate Professor Helge Holgversen (the Norwegian Association of Researchers), Senior Adviser Linda Emdal (Parat), and Adviser Jørgen Melve (the Norwegian Union of Government Employees).
Deputies: Deputy Chief Safety Representative Ann-Elise Olderbakk Jordal, Senior Engineer Kristian Botnen, Associate Professor Astrid Louise Hanssen Wang, Adviser Elisabeth Aronsen Straume, and Adviser Berit Storaker.
The occupational health service
Head of Office Frøydis Våge and Senior Adviser Bente-Lise P. Lillebø, with occupational health nurses Gunvor Landro and Mari Mathisen Follo as deputies.
Observers
Student Ombud Hanne Martiniusen, and student representatives Arvid Fauskanger Ekberg (spring semester 2026) and Desiree Fredheim Lundberg (autumn semester 2026).
The working group
The working group prepares cases between meetings: Tore Tungodden (chair), Kathrine Brosvik Thorsen, June Vibecke Knudtsen Indrevik, Helge Holgersen and Frøydis Våge. The Director of Estate and Facilities Management attends as needed.
Meetings, agendas and minutes
The committee meets five times in 2026, all at Muséplassen 1.
- Thursday 19 February, 12.00–14.30, the Board Room
- Tuesday 14 April, 12.00–14.30, the Board Room
- Wednesday 17 June, 12.00–14.00, Meeting Room 2
- Thursday 24 September, 12.00–14.00, the Board Room
- Thursday 19 November, 12.00–15.00, the Board Room
The agenda becomes available about a week before each meeting. Minutes are published as soon as the committee has approved them.